One last time
by thegirlfromspinnersend
Summary: Severus Snape has an unexpected but not unwelcome visitor


She knocked on the door, insecure, a little bit nervous. „It´s open!", carked the low and oily voice that used to be so familiar to her, in a time so far away it seemed like a different life. She opened the door and finally she saw her former best friend again she had missed so badly. His hair, greasy as ever, and the hooked nose the others used to make fun of in Hogwarts... „Hi, Sev", she greeted him carefully. „Lily!", He shouted in surprise, and considering we are talking about him you could call his reaction almost... delighted. „How come you grace me with your presence?" Blushing and ashamed, she looked down at the floor. „I decided to... forgive you. You are good on the inside, Sev, and I know you could never call me a mudblood and... mean it." He smiled - he rarely does- and wrapped his arms around her. „Oh Lily. You kept me waiting for quite a long time, but you are really to lovely for this world." „I only tend to see the good in others, especially when they can´t see it anymore.", she answered with a little smile on her lips, „And I see that you, my dear, are a really good Person in the wrong environment. She gently touched his cheek. He smiled. She looked him in the eyes, the eyes black as the sea bottom nobody could usually see through. He was a master of occlumency, but he never needed to hide anything from Lily. Lily, his best friend since their early days in Cokeworth. He trusted her, the little redhead with the horrible sister... Her voice, a little desperate but still incredibly sweet, brought him back to the present. „Sev, you are not a death eater." Her green eyes he loved so much were now looking at him, serious and full of worries. „Once you told me it made no difference that I was muggleborn, didn´t you? In my opinion, this is what you believe, deep down in your cold and bitter heart.", she said and laid her hand on his chest. He stepped away from her, turned around and shook his head. „I can not escape now, even if I wanted to... the dark lord, he would kill me.", he told her. „Then come and hide with us!", she offered. „You and your family are hiding?", he asked, obviously worried by the news. „Yes... it seems that Voldemort is after Harry. The prophecy, you know..." He embraced her, tried to comfort her. „Don´t be afraid. No worries for your family, I will do everything in order to protect you, Lily." For a short moment it feels like back then by the river. For a short moment there was nothing but the two of them, old friends reunited in peace and harmony. „Really, Sev?", she asked, her voice trembling. „Everything. I promise." They looked each other in the eye and after the short awkward moment, they sat down on the couch next to each other. Lily rested her head on his shoulder. „What a pity, Sev, that you chose the wrong side. And that you don´t get along, James and you... I think you should visit us in Godric´s Hollow. Harry will love you! Good old uncle Snivellus!", she said, grinning. His face darkened, she immediately regretted her last words. „Come on, I´m sorry. I´m sorry that James and Padfoot have been so mean to you. They didn´t know you like I did. Wouldn´t it be nice if finally you all got to know each other properly?" This woman is just too amiable, he thought to himself. „To be honest, I do not think this would be a good idea.", he says and rolls up his sleeves to reveal the dark mark. Lily´s eyes mirror her cordial sorrow. „Oh Severus...", she sighed. „Under different circumstances..." He rested his hand upon her hand. „In another lifetime, Lily." She huddled up to him, sad, and he kept her warm in his arms. They continued to sit down for a while, silent, both occupied with their own thoughts. Lily thought of the time when they were just children, when she discovered that she was a witch and he was there to help her deal with it. How he protected her from her jealous muggle sister and later the attacks of his fellow Slytherins who hated all muggleborn witches and wizards. He was always by her side. He thought about how she protected him in front of Sirius und James, from the very first day at the Hogwarts Express. She always took care of him, and he realized that now it was his turn to take care of her. Of course he should seriously ask himself wether it wasn´t too late. „I am afraid, Sev..." she whispered, all of a sudden. Gently putting her dark red hair behind her ears so she would look him in the eyes, he whispered back „Nothing is going to harm you." She sighed. „I think it would be better for me to go home now..." „As you like it", he replies, and after a short break he has another question for her. „Do you think it can be just like it used to? Do you think we can be friends again?... Best friends?" „Oh we are, Sev. I just don´t like some of the people you hang around with!" She grinned. „And sadly, most of them want to kill me, as it seems." „I won´t let them.", he protested. „What if you can´t prevent it? Listen, Sev... If James and I die, Dumbledore and Sirius will raise Harry outstandlingly, but promise me to look after him too. You have a better insight into the plans of... you-know-who. Will you do that for me, will you keep an eye on my baby?" „Always", promised Snape. „Thank you", said Lily, turning towards the door. „It was nice to meet you again. I hope this War will be over soon.." „I hope so too", he agreed. „And- Lily..." She turned back to him. What did he want to say? „I would consider it quite risky to trust Peter Pettigrew."- she definitely did not expect that. „Anything else to add?" she asked, frowning. „I think so", he replied a little shyly. She closed the door behind her. He still stood on the other side, whispering. „I would actually have something else to tell you. Of course, it would be several years to late, now that you are married, have a child and we belong to opposing parties in this war. Probably I will never get the opportunity to tell you. I should have told you when we were in fifth grade. You asked me why you should be an exception. Why I called everyone of your descent a mudblood and claimed it didn´t make a difference when it came to you. Back then, I could not say these words out loud, because you had been so mad at me. But the truth is, that you have always been an exception for me because... because I love you." He sits down on the floor thoughtfuly, staring at the wall in front of him. Meanwhile on the other side of the door, Lily, who could hear every single word he said, wiped away the tears running down her face. "I know. I always knew, Severus", she whispered back. The leaves underneath her feet rustled as she slowly moved away from his house. Severus Snape should never meet his old friend Lily Potter again, but her eyes haunted him until his last breath.


End file.
